Holiday Music

I'll admit that even though I do not miss celebrating Christmas, I DO miss the music of the season VERY much. There is something so uplifting about the music of the Christmas season that will never get old for me and will always be a part of me. I happen to think that Handel's Messiah is one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written and I know it backwards and forward. I do occasionally put it on and belt out the choruses at the top of my lungs. Luckily, DH does not find this threatening.

I have tried to analyze what exactly it is about Chanukah music that bothers me and I think that it is, simply put, that all of the Chanukah songs are so childish. Come to think of it, the entire holiday is geared towards the kids. Nothing wrong with that, of course, except I always have the impression that I, as an adult, am invisible on this holiday. That no one is talking to me. Let's be honest. "I Have a Little Dreidel" vs. "peace on earth goodwill towards men"? Hmmmmm. Don't get me wrong. Lighting the Chanukah menorah, the gift giving, the yummy, greasy, fried foods, the fact that the holiday is shmeared out over 8 days (rather than so much hype for ONE day) - it's great. I'm all for it. It's just that the Christmas message just seems a tad more universal to me.

But maybe that's just me.

I therefore leave you with as kosher a version of the Halleluyah Chorus as I could find....sung by silent monks ;-)